So during play-and-exploration hour in the Gandhi-Shepard home, Ben and I take Amir on a house tour. We usually start off in the living room, where there’s a wall of portraits of family and friends. After a few minutes we make our way to the dining room, where there are more photos and artwork, then to the bright den/office for a view of the colorful book binds, followed by a stop in the kitchen to see the poster of Obama on the refrigerator, and lastly to the foyer for the grand finale: to see ourselves in the mirror.

We think Amir enjoys the mirror the most. We notice that his eyes get wider and fix upon either himself or Ben or I.  He holds that gaze for many seconds too, and, sometimes as you’ll see, he’ll crack a smile. And can you blame him? I’d smile too if I were as cute as Amir.

Among the notable items are Amir’s Nike Air Jordan booties, given to him by Aunt Lisa. Ben is particularly fond of the booties, having been a basketball player during his school years. And word is that he even sported a black and blue pair of Jordans like the booties pictured.

It makes me wonder whether Amir will play basketball when he gets older, though I have a good feeling he will since Mom and Dad are big basketball fans.

Sidenote: Mama hasn’t been the best at sending Thank You notes as of late, but she and the family are forever grateful for the generosity.

Ben and I are learning to be out and about with the kid. Of course, restaurant dining is still intimidating, but that’s why we ordered takeout one beautiful StL evening and headed over to Art Hill in Forest Park.

Amir did well and was distracted by the sights and sounds long enough for his parents to eat. And then it was his turn to eat, at which point I covered up to nurse him.

It was a wonderful evening, even during Little Man’s short crying bouts. For baby and parents, fresh air is very necessary.

Luckily, we now feel like we’ve gotten into the swing of things. And, as you can see, Ben has discovered quite the technique to calm Amir — and even put him to sleep — while tending to his freelance Web design business.

It’s multitasking at its best.

As my mom recommended, we asked the pandit at the temple to perform a quick puja with Amir in which we ask the deities to bless the little man with a healthy, happy life. And it was as if Amir knew we were somewhere quiet and sacred because he was on his best behavior. He even made the very serious-looking pandit smile!

After the blessing, Amir was given a flower and apple to take home with him — an offering from the temple.

The little man’s affinity could have something to do with the way the stars were aligned at the time of his birth: His sun sign is Cancer, and his moon sign is Scorpio (both of which are water signs).

While at the Shepard Family Reunion in the Lake of the Ozarks, Amir and Daddy took a dip in the pool. Doesn’t the tyke look right at home?

There’s no right way to eat grits, as the family photos below can attest. Some of us have them straight up; others douse our helping with Cholula; others goes heavy on the crushed black pepper, and the rest of us add some freshness to the dish with a couple slices of tomato.

Regardless of one’s preference, grits have undoubtedly become a Shepard sensation.

Everyone talked, played, sunbathed, swam, laughed and, of course, ate a ton. It felt great for our family of three to get away for several days and socialize with loved ones. Amir, who was the littlest Shepard in attendance, was especially fond of the outing — not to mention the view from the deck.

Enjoy the family photos.